Making Memories

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“Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until becomes a memory.” – Dr. Seuss

I put my hand in my coat pocket this morning and came out with a shell, two rocks, and a coin. The collection made me smile because they came from spending our New Years holiday week at the beach.

Staying at the beach in the winter felt like leaving everything else behind. The only thing we had to be mindful of was the tide chart. With the new moon on December 30th, the tides were pretty extreme. The water was really high during the day. So much so that the beach was under water except for about an hour window mid-morning. At night, there was a huge low tide.

So we threw rocks, balanced on logs, and looked for treasure when we could during the daylight hours. Then we went for night walks on the beach. The kids and I put on our hats with head lamps built in and walked out with Cooper on the smooth, flat sand.

On a couple of those nights, the sky was clear and the plethora of stars we could see were awe-some. Five-year-old Mr. D came inside and drew out Orion’s belt and the Big Dipper so that he could remember them.

The memory that seared into my heart was one night when we reached the beach and the kids fell into a line ahead of me. Nine-year-old Miss O in the front with her light shining out wide, Cooper in the middle visible only because of his white coat, and Mr. D not far behind with his light trained on the ground at his feet. They made a beautiful line parallel to the water as the waves lapped softly in accompaniment.

I’m going to leave the shell from my pocket on my calendar. It’s a reminder that while making appointments is part of life, the real goal is to make memories.

95 thoughts on “Making Memories”

  6. What a wonderful way to spend the New Year holiday week – creating memories under a star-studded sky. ✨⭐ May 2025 hold many beautiful memories.

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  7. And you are making so many very, very special ones for you and your kids (not sure for Cooper, but maybe). Filled with a love for nature, and above all filled with love. Happy New Year to you and your family, Wynne. May your year be filled with happy memory-making.

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  10. “… a reminder that while making appointments is part of life, the real goal is to make memories.” Beautiful reminder Wynne. Thank you.

    Appointments quickly fade. Memories endure forever.

    Keep Looking Up ^ . . . His Best is Yet to Come!

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  11. Oh the joy of curiosity and wonder. When you are young and you see things for the first time…. wow. Then seeing your kids have their wow moments is another wow.

    It was good to reset and refresh. As adults we get so wrapped up in our task we forget that wonder is self care.

    I went to the lake house with the young dog… we had a great time. It’s a new year’s tradition to go to the lake, but as our kids have gotten older they want their traditions: my daughter was with college friends, our son with his family, and my wife decided to stay home because the old dog doesn’t travel well… so Fern and I drove up Sunday morning. Fern and I got home yesterday and today is gonna be an amazing day. Yes it is, hope yours is, too.

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  13. Oh my. So, so good Wynne. Keep that shell handy…forever and always.
    I can see Mr. D. rushing inside to capture what he saw in the night sky. You’ll never forget, and I suspect the same for will be true for him. xo! 🥰💕🥰

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  14. Thanks, Wynne. I walked along our frosty beach this morning. There’s nothing like it! I like the notion of making memories rather than appointments. Perhaps we need to learn to turn appointments into memories?!

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  15. I felt like I was part of your group of that night out on the beach. What a great way to spend your holidays!

    Enjoy the final stretch of the school break and wishing you all the best in this new year ahead!

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  20. I’ve always preferred the beach in the wintertime. Of our many trips to the Oregon coast, my favorites always involved cold and stormy winter days.

    You’re doing an excellent job making memories!

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  23. This is so cool! What a wonderful and meaningful adventure. Your children will always remember going to the beach AT NIGHT! And then Mr. D saw the stars and drew them so they could become a tangible memory. I love this. Thanks, Wynne.

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  25. And this is why I also have a few shells on my bookshelf and a small glistening rock. Memories from these objects keep them alive. Thank you for such a lovely post. Happy New Year❣️

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  26. Hurray for memories–oh yes! Thank you for the reminder to be intentional about making them and savoring them. No doubt you’re going to treasure that little shell-reminder for years to come. I’m so thankful God enabled us to remember wonderful people and pleasurable events, the ability to enjoy them again and again in our minds.

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  29. It’s a safe bet that going to the beach at night is making a memory your kids will never forget. Well done, Wynne. You’ve got your priorities in line.

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      1. We didn’t. It sounds fabulous. When we went camping near Squim at Dungeness Spit, we’d hang out around the fire and roast marshmallows. That was amazing, too!

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  42. This post is a beautiful reminder of the simplicity and magic in life’s fleeting moments. The imagery of the kids, Cooper, and the waves under the starlit sky is nothing short of poetic. It feels like a scene etched in time, where the world slows down, and all that matters is the present.

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